European Patent Application n. 1403415 describes a device for slowly extracting a slide-out supply drawer of a washing machine from its seat by the user simply applying manual pressure on the front of the drawer. The drawer is restored to a withdrawn position inside the seat by the user again simply applying manual pressure on the front, and is locked in the withdrawn position until pressure is again applied on the front.
Though satisfactory in terms of operation, the device described in the above European patent application, filed by the present Applicant, is relatively bulky and relatively expensive by employing specially designed component parts. Moreover, the component parts, especially those for selectively locking the drawer in the withdrawn position, must be totally redesigned for the device to be used on swing-out as opposed to slide-out drawers.